This week Verispect Netherlands organize a practical training on St. Eustatius on the calibration of measuring and weighing equipment for the staff of the Economic Department of the public entities of St. Eustatius and Saba. For this cause Dutch calibrated measuring instruments were offered to St. Eustatius. The purpose of this training is to give students practice experience with the calibration and the provided equipment. Focus is on the calibration of gasoline pumps and scales in shops, the pharmacy, the airport and the slaughterhouse. Also the truck scales in the port and at the customs will be dealt with.
The practical training will be offered in the same way next week on Bonaire to the employees of the Directorate "Toezicht en Handhaving". They will also handle the water installation and the scales in the hospital.
In the training the following subjects will be discussed: the availability, storage and management of the equipment; performing calibration, recalibration and controls under supervision; building a database; informing entrepreneurs about legal obligations and monitoring; advising entrepreneurs when buying new measuring instruments; setting up procedures for dealing with objections and complaints.
Pure (accurate) measuring instruments are important for consumers and businesses. It is therefore mandatory in business to use calibrated measuring instruments and legally established units of measurement. The Weight and Measures Act of BES contains rules for measuring instruments used in trade, such as the requirements with which the instruments must comply or the conditions under which they may be used.
The main goals of the Weight and Measures Act of BES are: protect consumers; increase the confidence in measuring instruments; suggesting conditions for fair trade; ensure legal certainty.
The responsibility for the implementation of the calibration and recalibration and monitoring lies with the public entities. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, offers he public entities equipment and training in order to carry this responsibility.